Heleentje Swart has been working in the field of education for sustainable development for over 20 years, with experience ranging from vocational secondary education (VMBO) to the university level, including the last 8 years as program director of SPARK the Movement.

This educational program not only focuses on learning for a circular economy and a sustainable society at the individual and organizational levels, but also explicitly promotes collective learning for change in, with, for, and by the region.

Swart was a co-founder of the Whole School Approach, and she and her colleagues are currently developing the Whole Region Approach, inspired by the priority action areas of the UNESCO Toolkit for ESD 2030. Businesses, NGOs, local governments, artists, and teachers and students from higher professional education (HBO), vocational education (MBO), and university education (WO) are learning together to develop new insights and local action for regionally relevant sustainability issues.